Did you get the message?

Most of us know what it's like when our intuition, guides, ancestors, angels, etc. try to help us, right? We often stumble, literally, seeking information or answers to our most burning questions, but fail to make the connection. I learned to acknowledge that we get what we need when we need it and that "getting" tends to save the day, bail our bottoms out, and pave the way for new opportunities, or better ways of handling current or ongoing situations. This is a "truism," at least in my world it is.

Then, I had an "aha moment" the other day. While speaking with a close friend, and without divulging a private conversation, I made a major connection -- Free Will. Part of the conversation revolved around listening to guides, or intuition if you prefer that word, and why they don't tell us directly what to do. Actually they do in life-threatening situations, but not when it comes to other choices we need to make!

Here's the message that I would like to share with you: When my guides tell me something, it is generally in the form of these types of questions:

• "Why don't you do ____________?"
  
• "Are you sure you want to say that?"
  
• "Are you sure you want to do that?"

I equate these conversations to the words of wisdom uttered by the Scarecrow in the "Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy couldn't decide which direction to take when she came to the end of the "Yellow Brick Road." He suggested two choices -- left or right. Dorothy ultimately chose her path and the Scarecrow came along to guide her. Guides are always with us.

The missing piece has always been the fact that we have free will. Too often, we keep making the same choices we always have, or some variation thereof. This may or may not take us where we want to go, or we take a mis-step from time to time. Maybe it's time to choose differently -- and wisely. A new perspective might take us somewhere else -- to a new experience that may enhance our lives. Dorothy ended up in Oz. I don't think I want to be filed neatly under "R" in the "O-Z" filing cabinet. I want to get to the Emerald City -- my Emerald City. By understanding that my guides really tell me what to do, I need to...

• To trust the questions they ask me,
• Get out of my own logic,
  
• Know that I have the wisdom to avoid doing something "stupid," and
  
• Know that I must make my own choices.

Sometimes it sounds like my father's voice channeling through my guides. Could my father be working with/through them? I did say ancestors, didn't I?

It is all about FREE WILL. The one thing I strive to do as an intuitive is to present all sides of a situation and possibilities to my clients without taking their power away from them.

The answer you may be seeking may often arrive in the form of riddle or a question. Know this and choose wisely. The information is there. The choice ... yours!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today would have been my father's 96th birthday. I had an emotional moment yesterday...and today. One of loss and remembrance. Rather than wait until Father's Day, or the anniversary of his crossing -- June 26th, I want to celebrate his life on the day of his birth.

Because of his love, wisdom, philosophical nature, willingness to roll up his sleeves to help someone in need, and genuine desire to be a "Mensch," I took his words to heart. He was my first spiritual teacher. In his mind, pursuing my passion, at that time, acting, was unacceptable to him because he didn't want to see my heart broken. However, developing my intuitive and mediumistic skills, participating in his meditation circle, and playing with Tarot cards was very much encouraged.

I once said, "If I had one-quarter of his psychic gifts I would be extremely blessed." Now that I am the age he was when he encouraged me to pursue this path, I realize I have surpassed my teacher in many ways. He enjoyed being the armchair psychic for a small group of individuals. An armchair was was not enough for me. I had to be the performer, even if it was not on the stage. I ventured out into the world with a mission to change the image of psychics, something I don't think he would have ever done. I will continue to entertain, enlighten, and empower as many people as I can using my gifts until the day I can no longer function. I know he is proud of me, even though he is not physically here to tell me that. There are times I "feel" him around...and that, is the best feeling of all!

My present to him, posthumously, is remembering how much he has influenced my life. So, Dad, the acting training helped me be a better entertainer, speaker, and teacher. I'm pretty fearless in the spotlight and grateful for having followed in your footsteps -- sort of.

A few years ago, I found a typed snippet among his clippings. I put it on my refrigerator. It says, "When money is lost -- nothing is lost. When health is lost -- something is lost. When character is lost -- all is lost." I think I would like to replace the word character with the word integrity. My father was a character who read people's character...and so do I. He was a man of high integrity and I am grateful to have learned from the best!!

Faith

When all else fails, there is faith. The other day, when I emerged from a meditation, the memory of a conversation I had with a former neighbor of mine popped into my head. As with all things that "pop" for me, it leads me down a road that includes memory rushes of various related incidents from my life. Without disclosing a private conversation with the Internet world, I can say that I was and still am in awe of my former neighbor's faith in God.

While the world is filled with many different religions and belief systems, the one constant I find is nearly everyone believes in some sort of a Creator -- a higher power. I like that concept because it allows for everyday miracles and provides a sense of faith -- a belief that if things are good, we are blessed, and if things are not good, we are blessed because we learn to appreciate what we have, the experience, and know that things will change and improve. They always do. This is my belief.

As I have gotten older, I have become more tolerant and understanding of people's beliefs, but I have become less tolerant of closed minds. Getting back to my day of faith, I realized, at least for me, that the word faith is very important today and every day. Without faith, negativity creeps in, fear takes over, and our light dims. Faith illuminates the darkness. I chose this card from Sasha St. John's Gentle Wisdom from the Faerie Realm deck because it reminds me exactly about trusting and having faith even when there is no indication otherwise.

Faith keeps us alive, hopeful, optimistic, and able to handle whatever comes our way.

Faith is what helps us over the hump when we are afraid of the future or the unknown.

Faith is the word for today and every day.

Faith is our ability to believe when there is no local or tangible reason to believe.

Faith is trusting that you can thrive, even when it seems as though the deck (Tarot or otherwise) is stacked against you. It's only a cycle.

Faith is the one word that you can grab onto to support you when nothing else is there to do the job.

Faith is the bridge, the conduit, the connection to the future.

Faith is the star in the sky that twinkles -- the one you wish upon.

Faith is what is needed when you have nothing to encourage you to to continue to trust.

Faith is what it takes to move forward even when you don't know where you are going. The Creator does, and if we embrace our ability to have faith, we can manage our fear of the unknown. Everything will be all right, no matter how it seems at the moment.

Am I a bit redundant? Possibly. Does it matter to me if I am redundant? No. What matters to me is, "Did I remind you of something wonderful to latch onto today?" I hope so.

KEEP THE FAITH, BABY!

Flexibility ... like a rubber band

The word for today is Flexibility. When it comes to work, relationships or anything that involves dealing with people, we need to exercise a certain amount of flexibility, tolerance, and acceptance in order to get along. As in life, we all have areas where we don't bend much. Think about a rubber band for a moment. They come in all sizes and shapes. They all have a purpose. So do we.

When I was in grade school a few of us used to play rubber band jump rope. I always had a thing for rubber bands -- they amused me. Here's a link down memory lane: http://www.topics-mag.com/edition11/games-jump-rope.htm.

A few days ago I had a new group of students in my Tarot I class at SMC and found myself letting people know how flexible Tarot can be, and how flexible I can be -- up to a point. One of my students had read a lot of books on Tarot and asked me, "Aren't you supposed to wrap your cards in silk and put them in a wooden box?" I just love those questions. My answer was, "Many people write that in Tarot books. Does that work for you? I have decks in boxes, Gevalia coffee cloth bags, a Crown Royal bag, Tarot bags, and all sorts of other bags and boxes. Your deck your rules; my deck my rules."

He was stunned by my answer. Why wouldn't he be? I didn't agree with what he read. He also said, "I read that you should not let anyone read with your cards." I replied again, "Your deck your rules; my deck my rules. Whatever resonates with you or works for you should be fine. It's all about you, not what someone else says you are supposed to do. Let me repeat this again, Your deck your rules; my deck my rules."

I explained to the class that I have some decks that I collect, and some decks that I don't let people handle because they are signed by some of my friends (the artists Arnell Ando, Robert M. Place, Julie Cuccia-Watts, and a few others) that I treasure. There are also two or three decks that I read with that I won't let anyone use. However, I also have a bunch of decks that anyone can handle. I'm a teacher. However, if anyone rifles or "poker shuffles" my decks, I become rigid and my rubber band personality breaks. Rifling decks wear them out faster. Easy does it and my rubber band snaps back into place.

So, my question to you, dear reader, is simple, "Do you know how flexible you are and under what conditions?" We all have our areas of "no problem" and "absolutely not." You just read about one of mine!

Full Moon in Virgo - Wha???

Having stopped blogging for a while for various personal reasons, I wondered what would get me started again. Is it the Full Moon in Virgo today? Is it because the moon's transit hits my natal chart in such a way that I feel compelled to blog? More than likely. Seriously, can astrology have that much of an impact on my life or anyone else's. Yes. How does a full moon impact you? This particular follow moon?

Astrology does make sense. When I look at the various incidents that occurred during the past two years, I cried out at the top of my lungs Sh-t!

Is this particular full moon smacking a you hard? All I know is the whole world is in a state of chaos, and transitions are occuring on micro and macro levels in a volatile manner, much like Tarot's "Tower." Astrologers can look at various charts of countries, people in power, etc. and explain what is going on, and why better than I ever could. I ony know a bit of it from what I intuitively pick up from energy flowing/not flowing, and an occasional flip of at least a half-dozen Tarot cards.

My own life as of late is positioned to make some sort of transition. I'm still weathering the storm by exercising discipline, trust, flexibility, action, and surrendering when I can do no more. This method works for me. Do you have a better way? I'd love to know. Tell me. Post it.

My mother used to say, "All things come to he who waits." My father used to say, "You need to follow through." They both were right to some degree. Aha, it is all about the balance of energies.

For me, this Full Moon in Virgo reminds me that I need to balance my perfectionistic self with my active go-for-it self. My image for today is Bruce Lee at his greatest -- kicking ass for the greater good.

Whatever you do on this full moon, look to see what thoughts, ideas, dreams, prayers, and plans you put into the universe during the last new moon. See how they played out, and then refine your action list for the next new moon. There is nothing more wonderful than seeing your dreams and plans come to fruition.

My favorite expression is "God/Goddess/Creator didn't bring me this far to drop me on my head and abandon me. He just wants me to shift, transform and become the complete person I was meant to be. I still have no idea how long that takes. Oh, yes, it takes a lifetime. Let this full moon be a wishing moon for you too. Let me know your thoughts. Post them here!

Relationships - Finding Lost School Friends

There are times when we reminisce and look back at our past relationships. I do not mean love relationships here, I mean old friendships from Grade School, High School, and/or college. Can you count at least one friendship from each school you attended that has followed you throughout your life? Can you count more than one? Can you kick yourself for losing touch with people you cared about due to procrastination, family interference, educational, career, or life choices? If you can freely admit that you miss some people, or want to know they are OK, please read on.

I met many people throughout my life who do not like to attend their high school reunions because they do not have good memories of those years. I must be the eternal optimist. I have always gone out of my way to be a friend to anyone who needed one -- even if they tossed me aside after their crises had passed. It was at a reunion that I really learned my worth as a human being and how many lives I impacted in a positive way, even if I was not the most positive at the time.

I have always been fond of reunions because it allowed me to reconnect and catch up with a few people -- if only for one night. I also reconnected with a few friends that were very dear to me, but due to life choices we had made, we lost touch over the years. Also, I made friends with people I never had a chance to get to know when I was in school. I really find that I am truly blessed in the number of people whose lives I have the privilege of touching in a positive way.

Take the time to search for someone you lost touch with who meant something to you at some point in your life. Whether you just need to reconnect one time or bring this relationship forward, use the Internet to Google them. Maybe they are Linked-In, on Facebook, or listed on Classmates.com.

I reached out to someone today that I haven't seen in over fifteen years. I hope she reaches back and we have time to catch up. Will our lives be better for the contact? I do not know. I just want to tell her, "Hey, I think of you from time to time and I hope you are happy!"

My message to you is simple ... take time to reach out to someone today ... in a positive way!

Relationships - Asking for Help

Just a quick post today. Are you someone who forgets to ask a friend for help when you need it? Are you the person who would give your shirt off your back to someone who needs it? Did it ever occur to you that one day someone might give you theirs? Are you ashamed to ask someone for help? If you are, more than likely fear keeps you silent.

If you are are a giver, have you learned to receive yet? If not, today may be the beginning of is a special day...as is everyday. Today should be the day you decide or affirm that you will ask for help when you need it. If the person you ask is unable to help in the way that you feel you need it, did they reach back in some way? If the answer is yes, you found a true friend.

When you hear the words "God never gives you more than you can handle," do you wholeheartedly believe it? You need to. Living is about having faith and knowing that if you have extended a hand in the past, someone may extend one to you. While it may not be in the way you expected, it will be in the way you need.

When you need help, do not be ashamed to share your journey with someone or ask for assistance. We are all here to help one another. While we may not always be in the most positive mental or emotional space all the time, do know that those thoughts and feelings are what binds us together in friendship.

Reach out to someone you love, or consider a friend who needs your help, and make their day brighter. If you are not having the best day, reach out to someone so they may help make your day brighter.

Life is to be lived and shared. As my late father used to say, "We are all on borrowed time. Make the most of the time the Creator has given you.